The Consort
by K.Busari
Summary: Celita, the young empress of a native kingdom has watched the execution of her family by a group of rebel soldiers. The story centers on her cunning escape and as she attempts to hide her true identity and escape the district of which her family once ruled.


CHAPTER 1

Two men ascended the moonlit hill, whispering in hushed tones. The black night sky had greatly hindered their efforts, until all but two had remained hunting. Earlier, their had been a whole army. The sky let out a thunderous, unforgiving roar.

"Shhh,"

" Rain," He smirked …the dog will not get far".

The other man grinned and looked up at the heavens with a keen familiarity.

Not far from where the men stood, a little girl lay quietly, keeping a rigid stance; she lay still, mindful that the smallest of breaths might betray her. She shut her eyes tightly and began to frantically search for a semblance of a prayer.

"Please don't rain," she whispered to the night sky. Truthfully, she feared the worst. I am not going it make it, she thought.

Time had taken on an immeasurable quality; she struggled to estimate how long she had waited in her dense hideaway. She felt panicked and struggled to believe that she could survive. The murderous Akari would not stop until they had succeeded in finding her. She wondered what her fate would be, once captured. The reality was far too terrifying to contemplate.

Suddenly the damp air became still, the dim forest took on a dream-like quality and sleep became a welcome retreat.

The sun had already begun to rise by the time the little girl arose. She listened closely but heard no sign of her enemies approach. If she could make it across the river she may have a chance to escape. She stayed low on her elbows and crawled through the mud. In the distance, just past the riverbank she could see a small house.

A large shadow of gargantuan proportions approached the door. She felt her presence pressed up against the doorframe. A flag bearing the colors of the Able billowed carelessly in the wind. The Able were prized within the parish for their culinary skills and renowned for their gluttony.

"Maam, Please open the door. I mean you no harm."

The oak door swung open.

A familiar face, Madea!

"Celita!" she screamed and covered her mouth in disbelief, her large black eyes bulging. She looked around frantically and pulled the little girl inside.

"Kadenza have mercy! Child, are you mad? She barely waited for an answer. Did anyone see you?" she whispered. She peered out of the enclave once more.

"I am surprised to see you alive Celita" Matea breathed heavily. Anyone associated with the Tsari are being questioned."

"What are you doing here Celita?"

"Madame Madea, please forgive me for this sudden intrusion, but I am being hunted."

Madea pursed her large lips together impatiently, and let out a long hard breath, beads of sweat lined the ridge of her mouth. A short black afro cloud, with shocks of grey crowned her round face. She appeared jumpy and agitated, and clasped her hands behind her back, her broad hips disallowed this, which made the woman resembled a plump chicken, wings clipped by her side. The air was hot with exotic aromas of cinnamon and spices oozing from the kitchen.

Celita snarled, she knew this interruption was most unwelcome; she had staged her disturbance at possibly the worst time in the large Able woman's day. Poor Matea was being kept from demolishing her midday feast, which she had spent the entire day preparing. The Able considered the Devourment Ritual to be a offering to their gods.

"Celita" she paused.

"Remember yourself child, you know that I cannot not hide you here"

Her tone became accusatory, "Why have you come here?"

Celita dropped to her knees, heads bowed she begged in the ancient tongue of the Tsari.

"Madam Matea, I am at your mercy. Please do not surrender me to the Akari, they have unleashed the Tooti and I am sure to be dead by nightfall."

Made'a eyes became glassy, "They have unleashed the Tooti." She gasped disbelievingly. By Kadenza, the tooti?"

The Tooti were a tribe of animalistic cannibals, known for their fierce depravation and murderous instinct, they walked on all fours, travelled in large packs and would kill on sight. The Tooti instilled fear in the bravest of warriors and had been exiled years before by the Emperor. Their sense of smell was unrivalled and as such they had formed a deadly allegiance with the Akari.

"Matea.." Celita muttered in a cold hoarse whisper.

My mother

They—

Celita gulped, she could barely say the words. For if she did she feared that she would have to confront the reality that this was not a nightmare.

" They murdered her… "

"She is _gone_, they are all _gone_."

Celita's mind began to drift. She had witnessed such unspeakable violence. She could hardly recount the horrors she had seen. Her mother kneeling by the altar, her head bowed as she worshipped Tequira, The men burst so suddenly into the room and surrounded her.

"Amara!" He hissed

"You shameless whore,"

My mother did not look up, her lips kept moving as she recited the teachings of Kadeeza and her head remained bowed. With one swift reach of his sword, it made contact and her mother's head rolled onto the marble floor. Celita spoke of horrors that would move the very depths of the souls of men but Matea's cold heart was immune. Celita began to sob for her lost life, for Dada, her mama, Tally, Musari and the rest, she sobbed and felt a sense of loss that pierced the very depths of her heart. A grief such as this would surely last a lifetime, she thought solemnly.

A silence permeated the room. Celita stayed in her subservient position and dared not utter a single word. Her mind was full of grief and her heart heavy with a loss that saturated her soul.

"Stand up, Let me look at you."

Celita rose quietly.

Matea grasped the little girls shoulders firmly, her dark eyes widened.

"You must understand and accept the reality of what has transpired. Your mother and father are dead, and no amount of crying will bring them back."

Celita closed her eyes resolutely, a heavy lump gathered in her throat, she held it there and pursed her lips together tightly until she could hold them no more, she began to sob, quietly at first and then louder and louder until her black cloud of grief consumed the room wholly, becoming larger than her.

Matea responded with a swift, hard slap.

Celita! This is not a fantasy. If they find you they will execute you!

A single tear travelled slowly down Celita's face.

"My husband will soon be home, if he finds me here with a Tsari, he will surely feed the both of us to the Tooti! "

The Tooti were a tribe of animalistic cannibals, known for their fierce depravation and murderous instinct, they walked on all fours, travelled in large packs and would kill on sight. The Tooti instilled fear in the bravest of warriors and had been exiled years before by the Emperor. Their sense of smell was unrivalled and as such they had formed a deadly allegiance with the Akari.

"Matea, please"

Matea walked quickly to the door. She motioned with her hand.

"Go now, Celita"

"Matea, please think of my mother." Celita said in a small voice.

Matea's eyes raged, "You manipulative witch, your mother had too much pride, that is why she is dead."

With a huge push Celita found herself where she had started.

"Matea!" she knocked heavily on the door."Matea, please!" she shouted

Celita, sank to the floor, the situation seemed so hopeless. She knew Matea was close by the door, she could feel her presence. She moved closer to the doorframe and lowered her tone.

"Matea," she whispered.

"I have the heart of Oluto, I hid it in the forest." She paused knowingly, "If it came to it, I planned to trade it with the Akari in return for my life. However, a humble servant such as yourself would be rewarded for your loyalty."

Celita waited patiently. She knew Matea's Able greed would be heavily enticed and take precedence over any fabricated loyalty to the Akari . Suddenly the large oak door swung open. Celita hesitated; Madea was nowhere to be seen. She made her way to the kitchen where Matea was busying herself with her last minute preparations; she hummed as she worked her way around the kitchen. Matea did not turn around or acknowledge Celita.

She was clearly in her element. A flurry of activity filled the space, pots and pans simmering with meats and spices culminated in the most exquisite smell. Three large iguanas skinned and raw hung from the ceiling.

"You may hide in the outhouse until nightfall, once my husband is asleep you will leave for Tellas, a Mateeri boy will accompany you, but once you near the border you are on your own. Oh and one last thing Celita.

She turned sharply on her heel, holding the large chopping knife away from her.

"Lying tongues do not bode well with me."

"My intent is not to deceive you ma'am, I only wish to survive. A gift that has been rare amongst my kind."

Matea sighed heavily as she chopped the iguana free from its tail.

"All this killing, dead bodies everywhere, the smell is unbearable. They could at least do this quietly."

"Savages"

Aggravated she threw the tail into the pan, it sizzled on arrival jutting back and fourth.

"I will help you Empress Celita, but you my dear are most certainly damned."

She chuckled noisily.

Tired and hungry Celita made her way to the outhouse. Bleak, dark and draughty, the outhouse was at least an inconspicuous hiding place. Surely the Akari would not succeed in finding her here. Insects scurried around noisily, alarmed by the sudden intrusion into their home. Celita pressed herself to the hard floor and prayed for the souls of her lost family, she prayed they had been elevated to an afterlife, free of bloodlust and jealousy and filled with love and happiness. She prayed for them to watch over her and imbue her with the strength to reach Tellas. Only then could she possibly hope to build a future for herself, a future that even she could not envision.


End file.
